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Artistic images aside – yet here’s another – consider that the Continental Army did not have the level of funding, support and training that today’s military enjoys.

“Drummer boys” were often children of soldiers already in the army. These boys, as well as the old men and walking wounded who were unfit for hard duty served important functions as cooks, armorers, messengers, gunsmiths, blacksmiths and other camp and support functions.

One of those functions was to play marching tunes to set a cadence as well as to inspire soldiers – or at least take their minds off the tedium of marching for days on end.

The image of the volunteer army has been, shall we say, a bit exaggerated This is not to disparage the soldiers, but it must be kept in mind that they had families and responsibilities back home. As Washington realized, to expect them to serve indefinitely without pay was not reasonable.